Millsboro bowler Erna McNeal celebrates 90th birthday

Decades after she began knocking down pins, Erna McNeal will be turning 90 in May and said she's not planning to give up bowling as a pastime anytime soon.

Each Wednesday morning during the season, McNeal, a Georgetown resident who used to bowl in Midway, said she can be found at the Millsboro Bowling Lanes with her team, the Beach Bumz.

"I bowl every week," she said. "I bowled a 121 today. I'll keep doing it as long as I'm able to move."

With the bowling season ending in April, fellow Beach Bumz team member Mary Ann Scott said the team decided to move celebrations up for McNeal's 90th birthday, which falls on May 29, so they could celebrate together. They threw an early party for McNeal April 4 and invited the league to celebrate with cake.

"Our season is ending next week so we are celebrating her 90th today," Scott said. "Today she bowled her first game and she's killing us!"

Having already celebrated a few 80th birthdays in the league this year, the team members wanted to be sure to honor their senior member with a special celebration in the lanes.

Bowler Marian MacMillan said she was impressed with McNeal's spirit, resolve and skill.

"This woman will never be old," MacMillan said. "She may be 90, but she will never be old. And she's a good bowler!"

The celebrations were intended to be a surprise for McNeal, though she was clued by a few spoilers before the party began. Nevertheless, the 90-year-old said she was grateful and impressed with everyone's efforts.

"This was a shock," McNeal said. "It meant so much because these folks here are just like family."

Scott said she wouldn't dream of letting the big birthday go by without a celebration, even if they did have to move it up a few weeks so everyone could meet together.

"We have a number of 80-year-olds in the league so we started celebrating for 80," she said."Erna is just a star, so we had to celebrate for her turning 90."